Sort of inspired by #snakehair, and oddbill's video thread, but also because this has been kicking around in my brain for a couple of years: I kind of want to do a stop motion animated short (actually, a series of shorts. Actually actually, a stop motion adaptation of John Gardner's 'Grendel,' which in my head looks like a hyper-violent 'Creature Comforts'). Any pointers on where to get started? Books I should read (there was a book I skimmed through a few years ago that seemed like a really good reference, but I can't remember the title for the life of me, and as it was in the Arclight Sherman Oaks gift shop, they're unlikely to still have it), should I go with clay or plasticine, essential editing software, etc.?

First, I'm sure you already know this, but no essential editing software needed - you can do stop motion with anything. You can do it with just a camera and windows movie maker. Don't let software stop you from experimenting.

As far as clay or plasticine - plasticine. Otherwise, just play around. My advice is do not read a book first. Just get some plasticine and a camera and start playing. Once you have figured a couple of things out for yourself, then go look for advice/books/etc. But get your hands into it first.

So, my girlfriend and I will be travelling across Europe at the end of the year/start of next. She's vegan, I'm vegetarian and we both want to avoid wearing leather and fur whilst not succumbing to frostbite. I've heard it's best to avoid layering as it is often well-heated indoors and you'll look a bit silly stripping off six layers, so I was wondering what advice you kind people might have for some materials/brands that would serve us well.

But she does also wear something equivalent to a military trenchcoat as the top layer.

Me on the other hand have no problems living in the UK on the coldest days wearing a long sleeve t-shirt, t-shirt and hooded top with a hat, gloves and buff scarff. Depending on where you are, European winters aren't generally as bitterly cold as American ones.

Realistically, it would depend on how far north you are going, but plenty of Europeans don't wear Fur or Leather. Central heating is common in some countries, but not so much others, and a tried and tested 2 underlayers, sweater and top coat would likely do the trick. A vest and t-shirt covered by a fleece and a waterproof would be adequate in the UK, Some areas, your'e going to need a little more. It's amazing how much temperature you can drop, just removing the waterproof.I love Military greatcoats, but,They are way expensive in Europe at the moment for some reason. B) Avoid Wet countries in them. If they haven't been treated right, they lose their resistance to water penetration, and weighing about 8-12 lbs dry, you'd feel like you were carrying a horse on your back once you got wet.

Just get yourself a decent synthetic coat and some longjohns. You might have noticed that pics of people studying in Antarctica involve mostly bright orange jumpsuits. You don't have to go as far as getting a jumpsuit, but the point I'm making is that the only thing natural in a lot of those things are the people wearing them.

If you want something light-weight, try hiking stores for something like a gore-tex, and wear wool or (if that counts as anti-animal) polyester underneath.Oh, and this is probably pretty obvious, but if you're going to be tromping through snow, make sure you have boots that will keep your feet dry. Nothing makes one feel cold wet and miserable worse than cold wet feet.

Avoid layering? That's absurd. Layers are the best way to keep warm for the weight and to give you the flexibility to adapt to whatever level of heating you encounter thru-out the day. Comfort is far more important than what some idiot considers the fashionable number of layers to remove upon entering a building from outside. In warm weather I wear/bring a minimum of a t-shirt and another shirt to wear over it, because you never know how wastefully frigid the airconditioning will be some places. And in cold weather I tend to add a sweatshirt or sweater, maybe another shirt, and a coat of whatever thickness is necessary to round it out for the day's minimum expected temperature. Consequently I am almost always comfortable.

The alternative to layering is to get a big thick coat that will keep you warm regardless of what else you're wearing, for the coldest possible temperatures... and if you do that, you will get mocked for wearing a coat that looks suitable for Scott of the Antarctic when the temperature is a mild 10 degrees above freezing. :)

Okay, more detail. I live in Toronto, Canada, where it gets down to minus forty on a really cold day. The minimum clothing I recommend to visitors from back home (Sydney, Australia, which is temperate to subtropical) is as follows:

Longjohns or trackpants to wear under trousers.Long pants. Blue jeans, chinos, whatever. I usually wear long cotton pants from Sears.Cotton t-shirt.Fleecy cotton pullover.Wool sweater.Army trenchcoat. You can pick one up for around $100 at a disposal store. Wool knit cap, or one of those hats with the side flaps for your ears.Wool scarf and gloves.Thick wool socks.Snow boots with heavy treads and waterproofing.

Optional:Sunglasses if you're going somewhere snowy. The reflected sunlight off the snow can make you temporarily blind within a few minutes, depending on how sunny it is and how sensitive your eyes are.Chapstick. The air gets extremely dry once the temperature drops below freezing, and your lips get all cracked and painful.

Ok, so in my experience there is nothing worse than getting cold and damp feet inside your shoes, so boots are recommended. And there in lies a dilemma, since a rather large proportion of boots are made with leather.

My Google Fu tells me that such 'Vegan Footwear' exists, seemingly affordable in the right places. If you know the right places, personally, I would check out local stores first.

I have boots from this company, though not these specific ones. Mine have suede and no laces. But when they say waterproof, they mean it. And the insulation is incredible. I have spend hours in deep snow in mine and my feet were the warmest, dryest parts of my body afterward.